Once a drug addict, Salih now fights to save lives and spread awareness

Thrissur : At 18, Muhammad Salih was arrested for stealing a motorcycle to buy 50 grams of ganja. Looking back, he now believes that getting caught that day was a turning point in his life. Today, at the age of 24, he is an anti-drug campaigner conducting awareness programmes for children, determined to prevent others from making the same mistakes he did.

A native of Kothakurssi, Ottapalam in Palakkad district, Salih now lives and works in Thrissur, where he has also started a small business. His journey towards change began in prison, where he and 11 fellow inmates made a deal to quit drugs. With support from the Kerala Excise Department’s Vimukti and Nervazhi rehabilitation projects, he received counselling both inside and outside prison, helping him break free from addiction.

Salih recalls that his descent into substance abuse began with a cigarette given to him by a friend in high school. By the time he was in ninth grade, his addiction had taken over his life, leading him to drop out of school and work as a street vendor just to buy drugs. When that income was insufficient, he turned to theft, leading to multiple cases against him in Ottapalam, Perinthalmanna, Mannarkkad, and Sreekrishnapuram police stations. His addiction left him physically and mentally tormented, even driving him to thoughts of harming his father and the police officers who arrested him.

Determined to make a difference, Salih began sharing his experiences with children in schools, using his personal story as a cautionary tale. However, his anti-drug activism has not been without challenges. After launching his campaign, he lost his job at a store, and his efforts have been met with both support and opposition. Some have threatened him, while others have embraced his mission.

“There is no benefit in using drugs. Even if you quit, you cannot erase your bad reputation. But if society come together, we can help those in need. With love and support, we can bring addicted children back to a normal life,” Salih says.

Through his awareness programmes, he has successfully guided many children away from substance abuse. His family and relatives stand by him, offering full support in his mission to create a drug-free society.